1
as in controversies
variance of opinion on a matter
a dispute over the proper pronunciation of "nuclear"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disagreements
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
after much dispute, the school committee decided that all backpacks would have to be stored in lockers during class hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in challenges
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
a whole slew of relatives eager to dispute his claim to being the sole heir
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bickers
to express different opinions about something often angrily
hometown fans disputing with visiting fans over which had the better team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in debates
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion
in an extended session the city council disputed the need for a new high school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disputes
Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
Part of the delay in opening the Automated People Mover has been a series of ongoing disputes between Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that manages LAX; and the contractor in charge of building the train system, LAX Integrated Express Solutions, or LINXS.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
The project has since been delayed multiple times due to technical challenges and disputes between Los Angeles World Airports and the contractor, LAX Integrated Express Solutions.
—City News Service, Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
And how Amazon pays and treats those people has become one of the defining labor disputes of the decade.
—Rey Covarrubias Jr, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The news came as a disappointment to the thousands of kids who entered a contest to give the dinosaur a new name after legal disputes over licensing of the name Sue erupted.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
In arbitration, legal disputes are handled by a mediator, a process that tends to favor companies in individual claims.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
But those were contractual disputes, solved with a trade and a financial agreement, respectively.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
In many mining districts, criminal organizations effectively govern territory, controlling entry, resolving disputes and enforcing authority through violence.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Ryan Wilusz, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The Office of Economic Development and International Trade also disputes claims that businesses don’t consider Colorado a desirable place to locate or expand, and corporate recruiters in the field describe a still robust rather than diminishing pipeline of prospects.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Google disputes the results and notes that Oumi used the SimpleQA benchmark, an AI test developed by OpenAI that contains incorrect information in its own right.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
In the settlement agreement, RTD disputes Fitzgerald's claims, but agrees to settle the lawsuit to avoid future litigation.
—Laura Phillips, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The company disputes the cancer-causing assertions.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Set in the ’90s, the game tasks players with such activities as stocking shelves, manning the checkout counter, and balancing the daily books; sometimes a videotape needs to be rewound, or a patron disputes a late fee.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Batey, the Spotify spokesperson, disputes that reasoning.
—Kyle Eustice, VIBE.com, 30 Mar. 2026
As discussed below, the NCAA flatly disputes that assertion.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
Day to day, the judge in Texas is immersed in a roster of cases involving immigration, employment and insurance disputes.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
Part of the delay in opening the Automated People Mover has been a series of ongoing disputes between Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that manages LAX; and the contractor in charge of building the train system, LAX Integrated Express Solutions, or LINXS.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
The project has since been delayed multiple times due to technical challenges and disputes between Los Angeles World Airports and the contractor, LAX Integrated Express Solutions.
—City News Service, Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
And how Amazon pays and treats those people has become one of the defining labor disputes of the decade.
—Rey Covarrubias Jr, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The news came as a disappointment to the thousands of kids who entered a contest to give the dinosaur a new name after legal disputes over licensing of the name Sue erupted.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
In arbitration, legal disputes are handled by a mediator, a process that tends to favor companies in individual claims.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
But those were contractual disputes, solved with a trade and a financial agreement, respectively.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
In many mining districts, criminal organizations effectively govern territory, controlling entry, resolving disputes and enforcing authority through violence.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
But one detail that has remained constant – the year Pepsi was invented – is the point Avery most strongly disputes.
—Ryan Wilusz, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
The Office of Economic Development and International Trade also disputes claims that businesses don’t consider Colorado a desirable place to locate or expand, and corporate recruiters in the field describe a still robust rather than diminishing pipeline of prospects.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Google disputes the results and notes that Oumi used the SimpleQA benchmark, an AI test developed by OpenAI that contains incorrect information in its own right.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
In the settlement agreement, RTD disputes Fitzgerald's claims, but agrees to settle the lawsuit to avoid future litigation.
—Laura Phillips, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The company disputes the cancer-causing assertions.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Set in the ’90s, the game tasks players with such activities as stocking shelves, manning the checkout counter, and balancing the daily books; sometimes a videotape needs to be rewound, or a patron disputes a late fee.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Batey, the Spotify spokesperson, disputes that reasoning.
—Kyle Eustice, VIBE.com, 30 Mar. 2026
As discussed below, the NCAA flatly disputes that assertion.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disputes
Noun
-
Chavez-DeRemer’s departure came as several controversies were surrounding her, her office and her family members.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The labor secretary had been the subject of multiple controversies—accused of abusing her power, having an affair with a subordinate, and drinking on the job.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The point is that some disagreements may be too socially expensive to stage as public trials.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
But the move to cancel the funds comes amid growing tensions between the White House and the Vatican over disagreements about the War in Iran.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Blending investigative storytelling, history, and personal narrative, The Vodou Project challenges old perceptions and celebrates the spiritual and cultural heritage at the heart of Haitian identity.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Phillip frequently challenges Jennings, but her most notable rebuke involved fitness trainer Jillian Michaels in August last year.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The pope, played by Samora la Perdida, is a mincing oaf who bickers with Galas about the value of translating Wagner.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Curriculum debates crop up occasionally.—
Heather Hollingsworth,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Curriculum debates crop up occasionally.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Avoid money quarrels with everyone.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2026
-
His quarrels with Massie and interest in relitigating the 2020 election seem to animate him more, too.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Alma Allen‘s pavilion for the United States at the 2026 Venice Biennale has become a proxy fight over politics, process, and cultural authority—questions the artist himself has little interest in adjudicating.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Riley questions whether his actions since have been in line with this bond.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disputes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disputes. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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